Types of electronic audio signals include analog signals and digital signals. Analog signals may have the shape of a continuous-time electronic signal that is a direct representation of an acoustic wave. Unlike analog signals, digital signals are not continuous in time and are instead discretized. FIG. 1 illustrates a graph showing a continuous analog signal 5 and a discretized digital signal 10. The discretization process that generates digital signals, in which values are retrieved at specific points in time, is a loss-inducing operation regarding sound information. However, because the human auditory system does not receive relatively highest acoustic frequencies, but instead receives their specific band (and in accordance with conventional sampling theorems such as the Kotelnikov-Shannon theorem), digital signals are still considered useful even though sound information is lost.
Many audio engineers prefer using analog devices that work with analog signals over digital devices, believing that analog devices have better acoustic characteristics. However, a disadvantage with analog devices is that the user typically relies on memory each time new parameter settings are made. It is also difficult to store parameter changes as a function of time, and changing these values as a function of time involves dedicated personnel to mechanically change settings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,240 (the '240 patent, titled “Audio mixing console with control element position storage”) discloses an audio playing system with an improved sound mixing console, which allows a user to immediately record the position of control elements on mixing console modules. The '240 patent also discloses allowing a sound engineer to recall stored control positions and to indicate stored positions with pairs of LEDs placed next to each control element of a console. However, a user who wants to recall a specific setting (for example, a previous music project) after some time still applies manual settings (e.g., turning each of a plurality of knobs assigned to specific parameters).
Another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,655 (the '655 patent, titled “Microphone amplifier with digital gain control”), discloses a digitally controlled component of an analog audio path. However, the system of the '655 patent merely discloses an amplifier that does not appear to be intended to interfere with signals in aspects other than amplitude.
The exemplary disclosed system and method are directed to overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above and/or other deficiencies in existing technology.